Saturday, 2 February 2008

Lippi grades Pato and Balotelli

Italy's World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi has given his view of the two new Serie A starlets, AC Milan's Alexandre Pato and Inter's Mario Balotelli.

"These are two players with completely different characteristics, so it is difficult to compare them," the Coach told Sky Italia television.

"Pato is faster and more creative with an excellent way of keeping possession and he roams around the field a lot more."

The 18-year-old Rossoneri forward has scored three goals in two Serie A home games, but could not make his official debut until January because of rules over international youngsters, as he only came of age after the summer transfer deadline.

This week Inter have unveiled their response to Pato, as 17-year-old Italian of Ghanaian origin Balotelli bagged a brace to knock Juventus out of the Coppa Italia.

"Balotelli is a pure centre-forward, very strong physically and perhaps has even more technique than the Brazilian. He has a fantastic ability to defend the ball and hides it from opponents."

Lippi saw fit to compare these two new faces to some familiar figures in the Serie A landscape.

"Pato reminds me of Andriy Shevchenko, while in Balotelli I see a new Zlatan Ibrahimovic."

Curiously, newspaper Corriere dello Sport went to Balotelli’s hometown and discovered the new Inter hero is a lifelong Milan fan.

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